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So Spokane has a bridge right over the Falls and a customer brought me a 4ft turn buckle and wanted some thing that looked "old Iron bridgey" but also wanted to be able to see the turnbuckle. So here it is....id have only used rivets but the customer wanted back up so it is welded.....even tho those old iron bridges where all riveted. lol. the most challenging part of this build was arching the 3" x 1/4" flat bar....the hard way.....it took a lot of work because the customer did not want a thinned edge.....from hammering the outside edge to help it curve....its hard to believe I know.... but it is 1/4" all the way across the arch.....As I forged I had to forge the extra steel from the inside edge across to the outside edge... this was a very painstaking task and those 2 arched took me over 3 hours to forge but....The arch is 3" x 1/4" all the way across. It don't look like much but it one of the best forgings i have produced with that level of difficulty.It was pretty tight arch because the base is only 14" across so and it took 20" of bar stock....so its pretty crunched up.... moved a lot of steel with the hammer and fire. I originally was just going to build a wedge to hold the turn buckle in place but the customer wanted the center strap to just pass thru the eyes on the turn buckle. So I removed the center strap and used a longer strap to pass thru and secure the turnbuckle.

So I sat down with a customer and we finalized the design. Even laying out the bar stock and looking at textured samples. All was approved, but when i was finished she said, she didn't like it because it looked to "heavy" lol........deposit forfeited.
But I made a few modifications and was able to sell it with a glass top for a couple hundred more then I was commissioned to build it for. Many off you may not agree with what I did next but I returned the customer's deposit.... she was very happy and she said she wanted to get another piece made so I gave her a number to a designer I like and said she could help her figure out exactly what she wants....... That way I will get a set of plans and so long as its built to spec. I will get paid and the designer will have to fight it out with the customer. lol

Looking to build a 5'x5' platen style table. I have two tables now. One is a welding table 5'x10' tube frame table with 1/4" plate top. The other is more heavy duty I use for straightening bars and bending jigs, but it's just getting worn out and it's not designed well and on top of that is pretty loud for banging on. I found a supplier nearby where I can get some real cheap 1' plate that has been ground flat and would make a great table top. I was wondering if anyone has designed/built a table like I'm talking about??
these are the things im trying to achieve with this table:
• needs to hold up to straightening bars up to 1"
• I want to figure out a good hole pattern that works well for 1" round hold fast
• possibly a vice mounted on one corner of the table?
• figure out the best way to dampen the sound of the table for setting rivets and straightening and what not.
• the best table leg solution? I currently have 2-20' lengths of 4"x4" tube that is 1/4" wall thickness I'd like to use for the legs or frame cause it's on hand. But maybe there is something better?
there seems to be a lot of innovative thinking people on here. Maybe you have experience in making this table and know of good solutions or things you would of done different?? I'm looking to do this whole table for $1000 or less. The cheapest 5'x5' platen I have come across is $1600 used not including trucking or stands so if I could make something that will hold up as well and have a quick clamp system with the hold fasts I would be pretty happy. The steel 5'x5' steel plate is .35 cents a pound including surface grind.

I finally was able to quit my day job (forging and building furniture) and start a business forging and building furniture with a talented friend of mine. Our first commission was to build a dining table based on a coffee table that we had just completed for a gallery. Since I had just given up my access to a big blue 110 and use of a well equipped, large shop, We started by building a large forge to heat the 1/2 by 3 I dreamed of using, and then a spring swage to texture the stock. After a couple of weeks we actually started the build. While I was forging the legs my partner glued up the 4x9x10 reclaimed oak we had acquired. I finished the legs and he ended up welding on a ranch for a couple of weeks, so I finished up the sanding and epoxy fill on the table top and applied a finish. We managed to display it in a local art in the park before the delivery, then installed it in the very excited customers beautiful home. I am going to attach some build photos to this. I know that its not all iron, but the wood pics were part of the process.The last photo is of this table with its inspiration, the Crazy Woman Coffee Table. I look forward to your feedback
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This is a table i Built this week. Pretty simple design, dose not require much smithing skills but that is what makes it beautiful.
the top is a 3" walnut slab distressed with logging chain, hammer, and what ever else was with in reach
legs are 1" square stock with a hammer texture and a 6" detail using hot chisle work and a quarter twist
shelf is 1/2" square stock also textured.
I like to leave a bunch of scale on the anvil as it adds another texture in addition to the hammer blows.
I installed some flat stock and forged some spikes that i drove through the wood and the flat stock and them welded them on the underside of the slab.
All the labor was in forging the texture and wire wheeling the scale off.
I got the slab of walnut for $60 and the iron was all at a local salvage yard that cost me $20 my labor was around 17 hours.

material - $22
time/labor - 8 hours
reuse, re-purposed &amp; recycled - $0
Wife happy - Priceless
Ok, to begin my wife is originally from California &amp; while she was not raised by hippies in a commune, she was taught early on to recycle and is constantly nagging suggesting that we "reuse, repurpose &amp; recycle". She also enjoys dabbling in blacksmithing, throwing pottery, DIY, home improvement, etc.
On various occasions she has discovered some unique, unusual and very inexpensive tiles &amp; tile fragments (from ceramic to porcelain to slate &amp; stone) in resale, antique, junk shops, yard sales &amp; auctions. All very cheap or even free (made me happy). We find tile tables/furniture interesting and I suggested we make our own rather than paying retail.
This is the process &amp; results. I will gladly respond to any inquiries for details (I'm not good at writing instructions, she's the trainer not me). I've loaded the pictures in the order of the process (as I remembered to take them).

Hey guys im wanting an expert opinion on how i should set this up. I want to know if the plan for the fire pot is good, it will be 6in from the back lip and 8x8in 5in deep 6x6in base, I want to set up a good hood for it, one where i dont have to do a super sucker. Also advice on how to make a good ture and clinker breaker would be nice, iwant to set this up nice. Any tips, pics, ect would be awsome. thanks all.